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Radha Delamarter is an American actress, director, and recovery coach who earned her biggest fame playing Martha Schultz in the 1991 Lucky Luke film and its follow-up TV series. She is also known as the former wife of Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield, whose name returned to headlines in early 2026 following serious legal charges. Radha’s own story is one of steady reinvention: from Louisville theater stages in the late 1970s to Western film sets in Italy, to a long, stable marriage on the California coast.
Quick facts about Radha Delamarter
| Field | Details |
| Full name | Deborah Sue Delamarter (professionally: Radha Delamarter) |
| Birth year (est.) | Around 1948-1950 |
| Age in 2026 | Approximately 76-78 |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Actress, director, recovery coach |
| Best known for | Lucky Luke (1991-1992), Virtual Weapon (1997) |
| Parents | Walter Delamarter (father), Fadra “Phoebe” Delamarter (mother) |
| Siblings | Sheryl Delamarter, Pamela Bell, Robert Delamarter |
| Marriages | Stephen K. Longley, Stephen Quentin Cowie, Timothy Busfield, Fritz Sperberg |
| Current husband | Frederick “Fritz” Sperberg (married November 23, 1990) |
| Children | Four, including Wilson Coates Busfield and Russell Sperberg |
| Current residence | Manhattan Beach, California |
| Net worth (est.) | $500,000 – $1 million |
Early life and family background
Radha Delamarter was born Deborah Sue Delamarter, most likely in the late 1940s. Her father, Walter, and mother, Fadra “Phoebe,” raised four children in a household shaped by both creative energy and spiritual practice. Phoebe was a follower of the Indian teacher Meher Baba and led prayer circles at home. That early exposure to reflection and community stayed with Radha well into adulthood.
The family was close-knit and active. Siblings Sheryl, Pamela, and Robert each went different directions in life, but Radha was the one drawn to performance. Growing up in a home where storytelling and kindness were daily habits laid the groundwork for her choice to pursue theater.
Her path through theater and into television
In 1978, Radha joined the apprentice company at the Actors Theatre of Louisville in Kentucky, one of the most respected regional theater programs in the country. There she co-directed “Criminal Dogs,” a play by Patrick Tovatt, alongside fellow artist Michael Hankins. Getting a directing credit that early in her career showed she could lead, not just perform.
After Louisville, she moved into television. Through the mid-1980s she picked up guest roles on shows including Family Ties, Newhart, Trapper John, M.D., and Hotel. These were small parts, but they gave her real set experience and built her credentials one call sheet at a time.
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The Lucky Luke years
The defining stretch of Radha’s acting career arrived in 1991 when she was cast as Martha Schultz in Lucky Luke, a live-action film starring Italian actor Terence Hill. The film brought the beloved European comic-strip cowboy to life in a way that clicked with audiences, and Radha’s warm, grounded rancher became a recognizable face in the franchise.
She reprised Martha Schultz for eight episodes of the follow-up Lucky Luke TV series in 1992. That same year she also voiced the character Trixie in the video game Who Shot Johnny Rock? Her other film credits include Sparks: The Price of Passion, Troublemakers, and Virtual Weapon (1997). Lucky Luke remains the role most people associate with her name.
Her four marriages
Radha Delamarter has been married four times. Here is a straightforward look at each:
- Stephen K. Longley (married March 18, 1973): Her first husband, connected to the theater world. They had one child before separating.
- Stephen Quentin Cowie (married December 21, 1978): An arts-focused relationship that produced a second child. They parted quietly.
- Timothy Busfield (married 1981, divorced 1986): An actor who was building his own television career at the time. Together they had a son, Wilson Coates Busfield. Busfield later won an Emmy for thirtysomething and is also known for The West Wing and Field of Dreams.
- Fritz Sperberg (married November 23, 1990 – present): Radha met Frederick “Fritz” Sperberg while filming Lucky Luke, where he played Averell Dalton. They have been together for over 35 years and have one child together.
The last marriage has been the lasting one. Radha and Fritz still live in Manhattan Beach, California.
Timothy Busfield: what to know in 2026
Many people searching for Radha Delamarter today are doing so because of news surrounding her ex-husband. In early 2026, Timothy Busfield was indicted on four felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor in New Mexico. The allegations stem from his time working as director and executive producer on the Fox series The Cleaning Lady, and involve two child actors. Busfield has pleaded not guilty to all four counts, and his attorneys say the case is “fundamentally unsound.”
Radha has not made any public statement about these developments. She and Busfield divorced in 1986, nearly four decades ago. Their son Wilson Coates Busfield, now an adult working as a cinematographer and director in New York, has also not commented publicly.
Her children
Radha has four children across her four marriages:
- Child from Stephen K. Longley: Keeps a private life and has not entered public view.
- Child from Stephen Quentin Cowie: Also private, no public profile.
- Wilson Coates Busfield: Son with Timothy Busfield. Wilson works as a cinematographer and director in New York City, with credits including the documentary An Unfinished History and the indie film Boy.
- Russell Sperberg: Son with Fritz Sperberg. Based in New York, he works in stage production and theater management.
Radha’s approach to her older children’s privacy is deliberate. She has never pushed them into the public eye and rarely shares their names.
Life after acting: spirituality and coaching
After her screen career wound down in the late 1990s, Radha did not disappear. She moved toward work that felt more personally grounded. Inspired by her mother Phoebe’s lifelong practice, she became involved with the Meher Baba spiritual community and visits Meher Mount in Ojai, California for gatherings and water-blessing events.
She also developed a recovery-coaching practice, drawing partly on her own experience navigating divorce and personal reinvention. In more recent years she has shared short-form reflections on social media, focusing on topics like healing after heartbreak, daily habits, and emotional grounding.
Final thoughts
Radha Delamarter’s story does not fit neatly into the “celebrity ex-wife” box that headlines sometimes place her in. She had a real acting career, a genuine theater foundation, and a late-chapter life built on faith and coaching work. The 2026 news around Timothy Busfield brought her name back into search results, but her own life by that point had moved well beyond their five-year marriage from four decades earlier.
What stands out most is the staying power of the Lucky Luke years. A cowboy franchise filmed in Italy gave her global recognition she might never have predicted from those Louisville stages in 1978. And a co-star from that same franchise became the husband she kept.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Radha Delamarter?
Radha Delamarter is an American actress born Deborah Sue Delamarter. She is best known for playing Martha Schultz in the 1991 Lucky Luke film and its 1992 TV series, and for being the former wife of actor Timothy Busfield. After leaving acting, she focused on recovery coaching and spiritual practice.
How old is Radha Delamarter in 2026?
Her exact birth date is not publicly confirmed, but based on available records she was born around 1948 to 1950, making her approximately 76 to 78 years old in 2026.
Who is Radha Delamarter’s current husband?
She has been married to Frederick “Fritz” Sperberg since November 23, 1990. They met on the set of Lucky Luke, where Sperberg played the character Averell Dalton, and have been together for over 35 years.
Does Radha Delamarter have children?
Yes, she has four children. Two from her early marriages keep private lives. Wilson Coates Busfield, her son with Timothy Busfield, works as a cinematographer in New York. Russell Sperberg, her son with Fritz Sperberg, works in theater production.
What is the connection between Radha Delamarter and the 2026 Timothy Busfield case?
Radha Delamarter and Timothy Busfield were married from 1981 to 1986 and have a son together. In early 2026, Busfield was indicted on child sex abuse charges in New Mexico. Radha has not commented publicly on the case. The two have had no reported contact beyond co-parenting their son, who is now an adult.
What is Radha Delamarter’s net worth?
Her net worth is estimated between $500,000 and $1 million, based on her acting and television work through the 1990s, along with later coaching activity. The figure is not officially confirmed.
